Have a ‘Good Friday’ with Lemon & Thyme Stuffed Trout, Served with Beetroot Potato Salad and Crispy Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Many people associate Good Friday with having an additional day off work, making Easter the longest bank holiday weekend of the year, but it too has its own traditions. The food-focus of the Easter tends to revolve around chocolate eggs and seasonal spring lamb, but did you know it’s also a tradition to eat fish on Good Friday?

I was aware of this tradition but to be honest rarely practiced it, and shamefully had totally forgotten my school RE lessons as to why it came about – but thanks to the powers of the internet search engine I now have a better idea….

So, the reason we eat fish on Good Friday is because many people in the Catholic Faith use this as a fasting day, in particular, a day to fast meat. This is because it’s the day that Jesus Christ died on the cross and sacrificed his flesh (not too sure what’s good about that mind)! Fish is also a symbol that early Christians used to recognise each other, so it seems appropriate if you’re not eating meat to eat fish instead (history/RE lesson over)!

Whether you are a Christian or not, this delicious trout recipe tastes great any day of the week…..

Serves 2

For the Trout

2 fresh trout – gutted and de-scaled

1 Handful Thyme

1 large lemon – finely sliced

Splash extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

10 stems of purple sprouting broccoli

For the beetroot potato salad

2 beetroot – peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes

8 new potatoes – quartered or halved, depending on their size

1 stick celery – finely chopped

½ tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 hardboiled egg – chopped

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ tbsp low fat natural yoghurt

Salt and pepper

1 tsp horseradish

Pre-heat the oven to 180’C

To prep the trout, simply divide up the sliced of lemon and place into the middle of the trout.

Stuff with the thyme and then rub the salt, pepper and oil all over the bodies.

Scatter the purple sprouting broccoli over the bottom of a roasting tin and place the trout on top.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

While the fish are cooking, prepare your beetroot salad by cooking the potato and the beetroot for 15-20 minutes to soften.

Once cooked, drain the beetroot and potato and then return them to the heat to get rid of any excess liquid.

Leave to cool slightly and then mix together with the remaining ingredients until well combined.